The more I read through this book, the more I separate James and Dagny in almost everything they do. Dagny's perspective on romance consists of not only physical attraction, but an emotional and spiritual attraction which links her not only to Francisco, but to Rearden. James's perspective on romance is really just taking advantage of another and physical attraction.
In James's encounter with Cherryl, the idea stated above is further exemplified. We get an immediate sense that James is attracted to her physically. The pure astonishment that Cherryl holds for Jim is what further attracts James to her. James is almost always characterized as being lonely or depressed, which attracts him to anyone who is willing to praise him for something (Cherryl in this case). James takes every chance he can to soak up all the praise he can from Cherryl, and ultimately invites her to his place for a drink.
Dagny and Hank's relationship continues throughout Chapter 9 (part 1). They continuously have sex, flirt, and really enjoy each other's company. Dagny's attraction to Hank is not one similar to James's in a sense that Dagny enjoys Hank for the person that he is (physically and spiritually) and because of their shared values. The part of the chapter where Dagny and Hank find the possibly revolutionary motor not only foreshadows great things to come from this tandem, but shows how hope still exists in a society bogged down with communism and socialistic values.
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